Convergent Technologies Design Group has completed the design of an outdoor sound system in the open quad area of the new Eastern Carolina University Student Union campus.

Founded in 1907 in Greenville, North Carolina, East Carolina University is a public doctoral/research university. With more than 5,500 academic and administrative staff and around 30,000 students, it is the fourth largest university in North Carolina.

The new, 214,000sq-ft Student Union is the largest construction project on the main campus since the Science and Technology Building opened in 2001. It will house the Dowdy Student Store, five dining options, student government and trustee office spaces, meeting rooms, a theatre and a large ballroom. The facility also features a five level, 724 space parking deck and a new 6,500sq-ft regional energy plant.

At the centre of the new campus is a large outdoor quadrangle with a 42ft-wide, all-weather video screen. ‘We were part of the architectural team that designed the entire building, including all of the interior and exterior audiovisual systems,’ Bill Holaday, Principal of Convergent Technologies Design Group, explains. ‘The exterior video wall presented an audio challenge, requiring a solution capable of covering a large area while being mounted at a single, fixed location. After modelling and analyzing several different approaches, our evaluation concluded that Community’s R Series and I Series would deliver the optimum solution, providing the best combination of uniform audio coverage, all-weather reliability, and trusted support from the manufacturer.’

The system designed by Convergent Technologies Design Group comprises three R2-66Max dual 12-inch high output, three-way loudspeakers and two IS8-218WR high power dual 18-inch subwoofers, installed above the video screen. In addition, two MX10 stage 10-inch compact coaxial two-way monitors and four V2-1264 12-inch full-range two-way loudspeakers were included as portable equipment for flexible set-ups.

‘The system is planned to be used for multiple applications and events, including movie night, overflow from the blackbox theatre, campus gatherings and presentations, and viewing of game-day away sporting events, so both high intelligibility speech and powerful, full-range, music quality were essential,’ says Brian Whitlock, lead designer and project manager. ‘The R2 loudspeakers have a well-defined dispersion pattern that allowed us to direct the sound to the audience and avoid reflections from surrounding buildings.’

DSP is provided by a QSC Q-Sys I/O Frame, with QSC CXD amplifiers driving the Community loudspeakers. The system is controlled by a Yamaha CL-5 digital mixing console, with Shure microphones maintaining the quality designed into the system.

‘It’s an impressive screen with impressive sound to match,’ Holaday concludes. ‘The coverage, sound levels and audio quality of the Community loudspeakers is outstanding.’